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Mother's Day prank on Cambodian TV show draws flak

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A Cambodian variety show has come under fire for pranking a 13-year-old girl during its Mother's Day episode.

Autumn Allen was invited to appear on MyTV's Like It Or Not and told her "dream to meet her mother would come true", reported The Phnom Penh Post.

The child singer has not seen her mother since she moved from the US to Cambodia with her father when she was six.

Autumn said on national television: "She held me and kissed me and told me that she would always love me."

But the emotional moment was just the lead-up to a tasteless prank.

Instead of Autumn's mother, it was cross-dressing comedian Chuop Rolin who emerged from the backstage.

A presenter then asked Autumn: "What are you thinking, did you think it was real?"

The teen replied: "I don't know."

The show's producers were heavily criticised after the episode aired. They have since apologised to Autumn.

 

 

Thank you for the enormous show of support regarding the “Mother’s Day show”. I am sure there was no harm intended and I had fun on the show... Love, Autumn http://youtu.be/X81fmSLvsPw

Posted by Autumn Allen on Sunday, May 10, 2015

 

 

 

I have met with MyTV and accepted their sincere apologies. The two hosts, Rolin and Taboi (the producer) have apologized...

Posted by Autumn Allen on Tuesday, May 12, 2015

 

 

Autumn, who sings in Khmer, English, Mandarin and French, told The Phnom Penh Post on Monday (May 11): "On that day I was very excited because I thought (my mother) was actually coming."

She added: "Initially I was disappointed, but Rolin made me laugh so I had fun on the show."

 

 

Sources: The Phnom Penh Post, The Sydney Morning Herald

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